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Charley Hughlett

East Notes: Pryor, Jets, Patriots, Pierre-Paul

November 4th, 2014 at 8:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Earlier today, Washington became the latest team to have free agent quarterback Terrelle Pryor in for a workout, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. The club now has a fully healthy group of signal-callers in Robert Griffin III, Colt McCoy, and Kirk Cousins, so it appears to be an unlikely landing spot for Pryor. Running backs Tim Hightower and Jeff Demps were also among the free agents whom Washington auditioned today, per John Keim of ESPN.com (Twitter links). The club worked out nine more players, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk provides a full list: tight end Chase Dixon, tight end D.C. Jefferson, safety Ahmad Black, defensive tackle Lanier Coleman, tackle Chris Faulk, tight end Tyler George, defensive end Donte Paige-Moss, defensive tackle Justin Renfrow, and safety Nickoe Whitley. Here’s more from the NFL’s two East divisions.

  • The Jets’ plan to rely on second-year player Dee Milliner, rookie Dexter McDougle, and mediocre free agent Dimitri Patterson as their primary corners was flawed from the beginning, writes Brian Costello of the New York Post. Milliner and McDougle both suffered serious injuries, while Patterson went AWOL during the preseason and was released.
  • The Jets worked out linebacker Shayne Skov today, tweets Costello. Skov, a 2014 undrafted free agent, has worked out for the Chargers and Texans in recent days after spending time with the 49ers and Buccaneers earlier this year.
  • The Patriots also brought in several players for tryouts today, writes Mike Reiss of ESPN.com, who identifies kickers Dave Teggart and Zach Hocker, long snappers Charley Hughlett and Patrick Scales, punter Cody Mandell, and quarterback Garrett Gilbert as having auditioned for New England.
  • Responding to a reader’s Twitter question, Jordan Raanan of the Star-Ledger gave defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul a 55% chance of returning to the Giants next season. Pierre-Paul is having a solid season as he approaches free agency — though he has only 3.5 sacks, he’s graded as the league’s third-best 4-3 defensive end among 54 qualifiers, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). PFF’s metrics rate the 25-year-old as the best run defender at his position by far; his +17.1 grade against the run is nearly double that of Derek Wolfe, the No. 2 finisher.

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

AFC West Notes: Broncos, Hughlett, Chargers

October 18th, 2014 at 2:03pm CST by Rob DiRe

The Broncos were expected to be one of the best teams in the NFL coming into the season after winning the AFC in 2013. They brought back most key components of a record-breaking offense, but the difference this year is on the defensive side of the ball, writes ESPN Insider Aaron Schatz.

The newfound strength of the defense has been with a few offseason additions. The team signed Aqib Talib, T.J. Ward, and DeMarcus Ware, and selected Bradley Roby in the first round of the NFL Draft. The defense has been far improved with these new players.

Here are some other words from around the AFC West:

  • The Broncos have a big list of impending free agents, leading to questions about how long their window to win a championship will be open. Mike Klis of the Denver Post is not overly worried, noting that a number of the free agents are restricted and that the teams will be able to lock up the big pieces like Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas.
  • The Chiefs tried out long snapper Charley Hughlett yesterday, reports Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • The Chargers are favored to beat the Chiefs this weekend, and part of the reason they have been able to succeed is the improvements they made on defense. Two additions in the secondary are big reason for that. First-round pick Jason Verrett has been phenomenal, and former Chief Brandon Flowers has had a career resurgence in San Diego, as Joel Thorman and John Gennaro noted in a Q&A on ArrowPride.com. “The biggest difference between last year’s team and this year’s Chargers is that the secondary went from atrocious to above-average with the additions of Brandon Flowers and Verrett,” said Gennaro.

AFC East Notes: Spiller, Revis, Jets, Bills

October 16th, 2014 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

Bills running back C.J. Spiller is off to a slow start this season, having averaged a career-worst 3.4 yards per carry and failed to reach the end zone so far. However, as he looks to turn things around, Spiller insists that his looming free agency isn’t what’s affecting his performance.

“It has nothing to do with this being the final year of my contract,” Spiller said, according to Jay Skurski of the Buffalo News. “It’s just overthinking and trying to make that play when I should have just taken what they’re giving us … and kept us out of the negative plays.”

Spiller has also been the subject of trade rumors and speculation, but tells Skurski he’s been able to block out that talk. Although the former first-round pick would adjust to a new team if Buffalo decides to move him and recognizes that’s “part of the business,” he says he wants to remain a Bill going forward.

Here’s more from around the AFC East:

  • Cornerback Darrelle Revis and the Patriots haven’t yet spoken about a new contract or an in-season extension, a source tells Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. With Revis and the Pats focused on winning games and reaching the Super Bowl, the two sides aren’t expected to address the cornerback’s contract situation until after the season, writes Howe.
  • After signing Michael Vick as a free agent this offseason and making him one of the highest-paid backups in the NFL, the Jets and head coach Rex Ryan should’ve been willing to turn to him earlier in the season to replace the struggling Geno Smith, says Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News.
  • Bills long snapper Garrison Sanborn has been limited in practice with a knee injury, prompting the club to take a look at free agents at the position just in case. According to Mike Rodak and Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Charley Hughlett and Kevin McDermott worked out for Buffalo yesterday.
  • While the Dolphins didn’t get a great haul when they traded Brandon Marshall to the Bears, it was the right move philosophically for the organization, writes Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald.

Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday

October 7th, 2014 at 9:16pm CST by Luke Adams

With practices resuming following the weekend’s games, and teams having a better of idea of how serious its players’ injuries are, Tuesdays are often a busy day for practice squad transactions, as clubs replenish their rosters and swap in players at potential positions of need. As such, we expect to update this post plenty of times throughout the day, with the latest news of practice squad signings and cuts from around the NFL. Here’s the latest:

  • Defensive tackle Joe Vellano, who was waived by the Patriots on Monday, has agreed to stay with New England on its practice squad, tweets Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. Vellano is the beneficiary of the new practice squad rules that allow a second-year player to be eligible despite playing in 16 games in 2013.
  • Defensive back Chandler Fenner and wide receiver Julian Talley, both waived by the Giants yesterday, have been re-signed to the practice squad, tweets Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.
  • The Eagles re-signed linebacker Brandon Hepburn to their practice squad, according to Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com (via Twitter).
  • The Packers signed Joe Kruger, the brother of Paul Kruger, to their practice squad, tweets Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun.
  • Former Ravens defensive tackle A.J. Pataiali’i has been added to the Browns’ taxi squad, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter).
  • As noted below, cornerback Mike Harris has signed with the Lions‘ practice squad, replacing fellow defensive back Josh Victorian, tweets Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
  • The Jets have released cornerback LeQuan Lewis from their practice squad, signing another cornerback – Dashaun Phillips – in his place, the team announced today (via Twitter).

Earlier updates:

  • One wide receiver has replaced another on the Cowboys‘ practice squad, tweets Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, as Tim Benford has been cut and LaRon Byrd has been signed.
  • The Rams are down to nine players on their practice squad, having cut wide receiver Justin Veltung today, according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter).
  • The Lions have signed defensive back Mike Harris to their taxi squad, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Detroit had a full 10-man unit, so a corresponding cut will be necessary to finalize the move.
  • Offensive tackle Ryan Miller has been cut from the Broncos‘ practice squad, reports Mike Klis of the Denver Post (via Twitter).
  • The Browns have cut long snapper Charley Hughlett from their practice squad, per agent Brett Tessler (via Twitter). Hughlett was brought in to provide competition for the team’s regular long snapper, Christian Yount, but Cleveland has opted to continue on with Yount.
  • The 49ers have swapped one offensive lineman for another on their practice squad, cutting tackle John Fullington in order to bring aboard guard Andrew Tiller, according to the club.
  • Guard William Campbell and defensive tackle Jeremy Towns are the newest members of the Bills‘ practice squad, replacing fullback Lonnie Pryor and tight end Jamie Childers, according to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
  • Three days after cutting him from their active roster, the Jaguars have re-signed tight end Mickey Shuler to their practice squad, the team announced today in a press release. To make room on the squad, wide receiver Kerry Taylor has been cut.
  • Last week’s promotion of quarterback Chandler Harnish to the active roster suggested the Vikings were more confident in him than McLeod Bethel-Thompson in an emergency scenario, and the team’s moves today reflected that as well. The Vikes announced in a press release that Bethel-Thompson has been let go from the practice squad, with Harnish, wideout Donte Foster, and defensive back Pierre Warren joining the unit.
  • To keep tabs on all 32 practice squad rosters, be sure to check out our complete list.

Practice Squad Updates: Tuesday

September 30th, 2014 at 6:52pm CST by Luke Adams

Tuesday is often a busy day for practice squad transactions, as teams fill spots vacated by players who were promoted over the weekend, or shuffle their 10-man units around based on injuries to the 53-man roster during Sunday’s games. We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad signings and cuts right here, with the latest moves added to the top of the list throughout the day….

  • The Lions have added running back William Powell to their practice squad, according to Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (via Twitter). Powell, 26, was cut by the Texans in late August.
  • The Titans have released quarterback Brad Sorensen from their practice squad, reports Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean (Twitter link). Sorensen was a Chargers seventh-round pick in 2013.
  • The Jets have swapped out one cornerback for another, adding LeQuan Lewis to their PS while removing Brandon Smith, per Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter).
  • The Panthers’ practice squad is now full after Carolina signed linebacker Horace Miller and running back Tauren Poole, the team announced on Twitter.
  • The Eagles removed two players from their practice squad, cutting linebacker Brandon Hepburn and offensive tackle Tyler Hoover, according to Adam Caplan of ESPN (Twitter link). Linebacker Jake Knott will return Philly’s PS after serving a four-game PED suspension, says Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
  • The Rams have re-signed tight end Brad Smelley to their practice squad, tweets Howard Balzer. To clear a roster spot, St. Louis cut defensive end Kourtnei Brown from the PS.

Earlier Updates:

  • The Texans have placed receiver Uzoma Nwachukwu on the practice squad injured list, tweets Palmer. Houston’s PS is now down to eight players.
  • The Dolphins have filled their final taxi squad slot by adding defensive end Emmanuel Dieke, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter link). Dieke was cut by the Giants last month.
  • Browns long snapper Christian Yount may be looking over his shoulder this week, as the Browns announced they’ve added long snapper Charley Hughlett to their practice squad, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal (via Twitter). Hughlett replaces defensive lineman Calvin Barnett.
  • The Bills have swapped one tight end for another, replacing D.J. Tialavea with Jamie Childers, tweets Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.
  • Kicker Chris Boswell has been removed from the Texans‘ practice squad, per James Palmer of CSNHouston.com (Twitter link).
  • Nose tackle Robert Thomas has replaced fellow defensive lineman Hebron Fangupo on the Redskins‘ practice squad, as Mike Jones of the Washington Post tweets. Thomas went unclaimed on waivers after being cut by Washington on the weekend.
  • The Dolphins have removed cornerback Rod Sweeting from their practice squad, signing tight end Jake Murphy to take his place, according to Chris Perkins of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter).
  • Wideout Travis Labhart, who was on the Texans‘ practice squad earlier this season, will rejoin Houston’s unit, a source tells David Nuño of KTRK-TV in Houston (Twitter link). The team currently has no openings, so one of the 10 current players will need to be cut or promoted to clear room for Labhart.

AFC Notes: Dolphins, McKnight, Pats, Browns

September 26th, 2014 at 12:10pm CST by Luke Adams

The offensive line was the primary area of focus for the Dolphins this offseason after last year’s bullying scandal, and the team addressed the position by signing Branden Albert in free agency and drafting Ja’Wuan James in the first round, among other moves. So far, the new-look unit has showed flashes of upside, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes, pointing out that Miami is averaging 5.2 yards per carry, second-best in the NFL. Of course, the team has also allowed the third-most sacks in the league (nine). In Albert’s view, his performance has been worthy of a C grade so far.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • After a big game on Sunday against the Dolphins, Chiefs running back Joe McKnight got some bad news today. According to Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star (via Twitter), McKnight suffered a ruptured Achilles in practice yesterday while running a route. With that injury certain to end the 26-year-old’s season, we can probably expect to see him placed on IR soon, with someone else taking his place on the 53-man roster.
  • The Patriots worked out a handful of players this week, including defensive backs Justin Green, Keon Lyn, Kimario McFadden, and Trevin Wade, as well as tight end Konrad Reuland, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Wilson also reports (via Twitter) that long snappers Charley Hughlett and Kevin McDermott auditioned for the Browns.
  • While no Browns wideout is expected to replicate Josh Gordon‘s numbers while 2013’s leading receiver serves his 10-game suspension, free agent signee Andrew Hawkins has fit in well so far in Cleveland, as Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal details. Hawkins leads the club in both receptions and receiving yards through three weeks.

South Auditions: Bucs, Titans, Jags, Panthers

September 11th, 2014 at 10:17am CST by Luke Adams

Earlier today, we passed along several updates from Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun on AFC and NFC East teams working out free agents, perhaps with an eye on signing some of them later in the season. A handful of teams in the AFC and NFC South have also auditioned players this week, and Wilson has those items as well, via Twitter. Here are the highlights:

Patriots Cut Bruce Gaston, Kelcy Quarles

September 3rd, 2014 at 4:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The Patriots have parted ways with two players they claimed off waivers over the weekend, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com, who tweets that defensive tackles Bruce Gaston and Kelcy Quarles have been cut by the team. The moves should leave New England with a pair of open roster spots, so I’d expect corresponding signings to be announced soon.

Gaston was dropped by the Cardinals as part of final roster cutdowns on Saturday, while Quarles was let go by the Giants. Both players will return to waivers today, and if they go unclaimed this time around, they’ll be free to sign with any club or practice squad. It wouldn’t be a surprise if one or both players ended up returning to the teams with whom they spent training camp, though both Arizona and New York have full practice squads at the moment.

As for the Patriots’ own practice squad, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets that the team has removed long snapper Charley Hughlett. According to Reiss (via Twitter), former Pats long snapper Danny Aiken is back in Massachusetts after visiting the Broncos, and there’s a strong possibility he rejoins New England.

Patriots Add Seven To Practice Squad

September 1st, 2014 at 11:52am CST by Rob DiRe

11:52am: The Pats have officially announced their full practice squad in a press release, and the following players are the three that had yet to be reported:

11:00am: The Patriots have added four players to their practice squad, according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com (via a series of Twitter posts). The following players joined the practice squad today:

Jaguars Cut 14 Players

August 25th, 2014 at 2:26pm CST by Dallas Robinson

2:26pm: The Jags have also waived WR Lamaar Thomas and RB Terrance Cobb, bringing their roster count to 76, tweets John Oehser of Jaguars.com.

MONDAY, 9:08am: The Jaguars have also waived/injured CB Deion Belue, per O’Halloran (on Twitter). Jacksonville’s roster count now sits at 78.

SUNDAY, 3:21PM: In anticipation of roster cutdowns, the Jaguars waived 11 players, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union:

Harris, a former seventh-rounder, started seven games over the past two years. As O’Halloran writes, just five of former general manager Gene Smith’s 26 draft picks still remain on the roster after this most recent purge. Jacksonville still needs to make four more cuts before Tuesday’s deadline.

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